First Nations in Canada and tribal governments in the U.S. are opposed to an outlet in Devils Lake, North Dakota, the head of the Assembly of First Nations said on Wednesday.

AFN Chief Phil Fontaine was part of a Canadian delegation that came to Washington, D.C., to speak out against the outlet. He said tribes on both sides of the border are prepared to go to court on the issue.

In May 2004, eight tribes from North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada, met to oppose the outlet. The tribes fear destruction of sacred sites and burial grounds.

North Dakota is completing a $28 million outlet to drain water from Devils Lake and dump it into a river that crosses the border. Canadians say the drainage will be filled with pollution.

The Spirit Lake Nation of North Dakota claims the lake is within its reservation. But the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, without deciding on ownership, ruled that the tribe waited too long to make the claim.

Get the Story:
Native leaders to invoke treaties to stop river dump (The Globe and Mail 4/7)
DEVILS LAKE OUTLET: Doer takes the battle to D.C. (The Grand Forks Herald 4/7)
Devils Lake battle heads to Washington (CBC 4/6)

Related Stories:
Tribes meet to oppose outlet for North Dakota lake (5/21)